


Closer to Heaven

by LunaLovePotter



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-10
Updated: 2019-07-10
Packaged: 2020-06-26 00:38:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19757020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LunaLovePotter/pseuds/LunaLovePotter
Summary: Harry and Ginny receive an unexpected surprise.





	Closer to Heaven

Title: Closer to Heaven  
Author: lunalovepotter  
Pairing: H/G  
Rating: Teen  
Word Count: 4305  
Notes: Special request fic written for lee6398. Thanks Vixx for the beta! :)

"Ginny…Ginny, love, its time to get up…" 

Harry's voice floated through Ginny's head, drifting through like a light breeze before it slowly faded. She smiled to herself, still contentedly immersed in her happy dream. But then Harry's voice interrupted her again. 

"Ginny, I'm sorry but if you don't get up you're going to be late for practice…" 

Practice. Ginny suddenly became aware of her surroundings; she felt the sunlight on her face and the softness of the pillow beneath her head. Groaning, she rolled onto her side where she opened her eyes and found herself staring into the beautiful but slightly concerned green eyes of her husband. He seemed genuinely distressed at having to wake her up. 

Ginny reached over to cup her hand loosely against his cheek. Her arm felt as though it weighed fifty pounds. "What time is it?" 

"Nearly eight. Are you feeling all right? You've been sleeping a lot lately." Harry took her hand in both of his and brought it to his lips. 

"Eight? No, it can't be eight already. We just went to bed." 

"You've been asleep for eleven hours, love." Harry's brow furrowed. He swept the hair off her forehead. "I think you should see the Healer, you're looking pale as well." 

"Nonsense, I'm fine—" Ginny sat up. Her torso was dead weight and her head seemed to be disconnected from the rest of her body. She felt the unmistakable urge to vomit, and then she pushed aside the covers and rushed to the loo. 

She vomited until she was physically unable to do it any more, and yet she still felt sick. Her knees became weak, and she curled on the floor. Harry was there in an instant, with his arms around her. "I've already owled the team to tell them you're not coming. I'm taking you back to bed," he declared.

"We've…we've got Appleby this weekend. I have to—to…" Ginny struggled to get the words out, but they simply wouldn't come.

"The only thing you have to do is sleep." Harry walked her back to the bed with his arm securely around her shoulders. Ginny put her entire weight against him. Her feet barely cooperated with her desire to walk.

"I'm making an appointment for you with the Healer, as well," Harry continued.

"Harry, I don't need the Healer. It's all right, it's probably just that bug that's going around. I'll be better tomorrow." Ginny collapsed back into the bed in a heap and Harry pulled the covers up around her. 

Harry looked unconvinced. "I'm owling the Ministry and telling them I'm working at home today. Ron can manage things," he said with an air of finality that Ginny knew meant it would be useless to argue, even if she'd had the energy to try. Everything was a becoming a blur and her head was pounding. She sank deeper into the mattress. 

"All right," she said faintly. Then she closed her eyes. 

* * * 

When she next opened them, she found her mother hovering over her bed. The sunlight had faded considerably and was casting long shadows across the room; there was a tray of biscuits and tea on the table next to the bed. 

"Hello, love," said her mum. "How are you feeling?"

"Hmm, what…mum? Where—am I at the Burrow? What time is it?" Ginny murmured, confused. She started to sit up, but her mum eased her back down. 

"It's nearly five o'clock. You're in your own bed." Mum sat on the edge of the bed, lightly stroking her forehead. "Harry owled earlier today and said that you were ill so I thought I'd look in on you." 

"He didn't have to call you. I'm fine. It's a stomach bug, that's all."

"No, I don't think that's it dear." Mum leaned close and pressed her lips to her cheek. She had a little smile on her face. "I didn't want to say anything in front of Harry, but I think you might be expecting." 

Ginny stifled a laugh. "Pregnant? No, that's definitely not it," she said, shaking her head emphatically.

Mum looked almost insulted. "What's so funny about that?"

"No, it's not that it's funny…well it kind of is, actually. Harry and I talked about this when we got married. I'm going to play for the Harpies for two more season and then I'll retire so we can have a baby. We've been taking precautions…hang on." 

"Yes, dear?" Mum raised her eyebrows. 

"There was one night, nearly six weeks ago. Harry had been on a five-day mission and I'd been on the road with the Harpies…we hadn't seen each other in at least ten days. We might have gotten a bit pissed. Needless to say we couldn't keep our hands off…" She trailed off as a tingling warmth washed over her. At first she thought she'd be sick, but it passed. 

Mum sighed, and tears formed in her eyes. She put her hands over Ginny's and squeezed them. "My baby's having a baby," she said. 

"Do you really think so?" Ginny whispered. 

Mum nodded slowly. "I think you ought to see the Healer as soon as possible. When was your last…" 

But Ginny was already calculating it in her head. "October twelfth. Hang on, no that can't be right. How could I not have noticed…I'm over two weeks late!" She was both thrilled and terrified all at once. Her hands dropped to her stomach, which even though it was still flat beneath the covers she thought she could detect a slight swelling. "I thought it was all the extra meals we've been having out since we're too tired to cook." 

"What, dear?"

"I've gained some weight. I've been off my game the last couple of weeks and I was going to put myself on a diet," Ginny explained. The words seemed to tumble over themselves. She could barely think straight. She wasn't off her game because she was gaining weight – she was off her game because she was having a baby. 

"Where's Harry?"

"He was fussing over you all day and needed to get out so I sent him to have a pint with Ron. I promised I would sit with you until he came back." 

"How long ago was that?" 

"Perhaps a little more than an hour." 

Ginny squeezed her mother's hand. "Mum, would you send an owl and ask him to come home." 

Mum beamed. "Of course I will, love. Now eat some of those biscuits and drink some tea to settle your stomach. You're eating for two now." 

* * * 

Harry was at her bedside not fifteen minutes after the owl departed looking winded and flushed, with his hair standing up in all directions and his glasses slightly askew. However, despite the tinge of alcohol on his breath, he still seemed to be in full charge of his faculties. Mum hovered on the outskirts of the room watching them, and every once in awhile she dabbed at the corners of her eyes with a tissue.

Harry planted himself on the edge of the bed and pushed his glasses farther up his nose. He looked frantic. "What's wrong? Your mum's owl said it was important. Ginny, tell me." 

"Relax, Harry. I'm fine. Take a deep breath." Ginny felt as though she was on cloud nine; nothing could touch her. She gazed into Harry's eyes and imagined the baby they would make together, maybe with her hair and his eyes. Or perhaps it would be the other way around. She wondered if the baby would have freckles. Then she smiled. 

"I can breathe later. What's going on?" Harry insisted.

Ginny raised her pajama top slightly and placed his hand on her bare stomach. She held it there beneath both of hers, bearing down with only the slightest pressure. "Harry," she said simply, and then she waited with a little smile tugging at her mouth. Her heart fluttered in her chest. 

Harry looked confused. Then the confusion melted into a brilliant smile that made her numb with joy. "Really? I thought we were going to wait." 

"So did I, but I guess we don't have a say in it this time." 

"I can't believe it…this is fantastic!" he blurted, and then he laughed. He took her face in his hands and kissed her feverishly. Her mouth melted against his, and her fingers knotted into his hair. 

"We don't know for sure yet. It's only a suspicion," she said into his mouth. 

"I'm sorry love, but there's no question about it. You're pregnant," Mum chimed in.

"I'm pregnant," Ginny said. She liked the sound of that, but mostly she liked the expression on Harry's face when she said it. He trembled as he took her hands, slowly stroking her fingers with his thumbs. She couldn't remember ever having seen him so happy, except at the moment they'd been declared husband and wife.

"You're pregnant," he echoed, sounding reverential. His breath was hot and warm on her skin as he kissed her neck. "I love you, Ginny." He touched his mouth to her lower lip, and then her upper lip. Then he kissed her fully, holding her head close.

"I love you, too," she answered.

Behind them, her mum dissolved into tears. 

* * * 

The next time Ginny opened her eyes it was dark and Harry was sleeping beside her with his head nestled close to hers. His hand was draped over her stomach. Right after her mother left, they'd made love. Harry was slow and careful and Ginny tried to persuade him that she wasn't breakable; when they made love a second time Harry hadn't been quite as slow or careful. Then he'd fallen asleep with a satisfied smile on his face, and she had fallen asleep not much later, calmer and more at peace than she'd ever felt before. 

She placed her hand over Harry's, and gently guided it in a slow circle in the place where she imagined the baby was. Before long, Harry's hand was moving on its own and she felt his lips on her neck, and his stiffness against her thigh. 

"Have I told you how sexy you are when you're pregnant?" he murmured. His voice was gravelly with sleep. 

"Since this will be the first time I'm pregnant, I'd have to say no." Ginny turned her head to look at him. 

"Well you are. You know what they say about pregnant women having a glow..."

"Rubbish. I don't have a glow." 

"You ought to look at it from where I am. You've got it all over," Harry said. 

Ginny touched his face, trailing her fingers along his cheekbone and over his lips. "So you're happy."

"I'm more than happy. In fact I can't really describe how I feel right now, just knowing you have our baby inside you. It's a miracle. A perfect miracle." His voice caught on the word 'baby', and his eyes welled with tears.

Ginny kissed him slowly and deeply while moving on top of him. "I love you," she whispered. He groaned, arching his back, and she leaned over him with her hair forming a curtain around them. 

"How do you feel?" Harry asked, sliding his hands along the length of her arms. 

"Tired, sick, and bloated – and for some reason ravenously hungry for strawberries – but otherwise I'm fantastic." Ginny smiled. 

"No, I mean in general, about this happening earlier than we'd planned? It'll mean cutting things short with the Harpies." 

"The best things happen when you're not expecting them." 

"Come here," Harry said, curling his hand around her neck. She bent down and kissed him, and then rested her head beneath his chin while he stroked her hair. They lay together quietly for a long time. 

"I'll talk to Gwenog tomorrow, after I see the Healer," Ginny said, after a short while. Butterflies started in her chest at the thought. Gwenog wouldn't be too thrilled with losing her star Chaser so early in the season and having to find a replacement on such short notice. Ginny had assured her captain that she had at least one more full season in her before she would think about starting a family. 

She bit her lower lip, worrying it between her teeth. As if sensing her hesitation, Harry shifted beneath her. "Are you all right?" 

"I'm fine," she answered, a little too quickly. She nestled closer to him and closed her eyes against the rising nausea. She felt suddenly exhausted. 

"Gin," Harry prodded, not buying it for a second. 

Ginny pursed her lips, suppressing the tears that started in her eyes. "It doesn't matter. This is what I want." 

Harry sighed. "You feel as though you're letting them down," he said. "This is going to change your whole life. I can go back to work and do things as I've been doing but you…" 

"…can't." Ginny looked up. "I'm not saying that it won't be an adjustment, and that it won't be hard. But I can't think of a better reason to give up Quidditch." 

"Are you sure?" Harry looked worried. His brow furrowed. 

"When it comes down to playing Quidditch or having a baby with you, there is no choice, Harry." Ginny sat up. She took his hand and placed it flush on her stomach while she gazed into his eyes. It was so easy to get lost in them, and for a long moment she forgot where she was as she imagined how he would look holding his child for the first time. 

She took in her breath sharply as she felt the enormity of what lay ahead; motherhood, a family, a new life that would be completely dependent on her. For a moment she was terrified. But then she was at peace. She thought of the life growing inside her and then about the life of the man who lay beneath her – the man whom she loved more than anything, and who was now looking at her as though she was something sacred. 

He deserved everything good in the world after all that he'd been through. What he wanted most was a family, and now she was able to give him that. It made her feel invincible. 

"My God you're so beautiful," he sighed. He cupped her face in his hands, stroking her cheeks with thumbs. He guided her head down and touched his mouth to hers. "Thank you." 

She smiled through her own tears. "No, thank you," she said. She kissed him, and then they made love and fell asleep in each other's arms. 

* * * 

The following morning Ginny lay on her back on the examining table while Healer Emily Donohue performed a series of tests, gliding her wand gently over Ginny's exposed stomach. Pastel colored sparks emitted from the tip and swirled in the air. 

"So?" Ginny said finally, unable to stand the quiet. 

"You're definitely pregnant. Five and a half weeks," Emily said, before Ginny could ask. Then she said something else, completely unexpected. "Would you like to know the gender?"

"Hang on. You can tell already? I thought you had to wait at least four months." 

"There's a new test we can perform in the first trimester that provides the gender with 100 percent accuracy." Emily waited for Ginny's response. When Ginny hesitated, she continued. "Or if you would prefer to wait, if you need time to think about it and talk to your husband that's fine as well." 

"I want to know," Ginny blurted before she could stop herself. She wouldn't tell Harry if he didn't want to know. But she had to find out. "But first…is the baby healthy?" Her breath caught in her throat. 

Emily smiled and put her hand reassuringly on Ginny's wrist. "Your baby is absolutely perfect, Ginny." 

Of course it was. How could it be anything but perfect? Ginny looked up at the young strawberry blonde Healer with warm blue eyes. "Tell me." 

"It's a boy." 

* * * 

Emily gave her a prescription for prenatal vitamins, and they made a follow-up appointment. Then Ginny dressed and went to meet her team's captain for lunch at a café down the street. She thought about popping in on Harry at the office to tell him everything was fine since he had been jumpy about it all morning; but then she decided she would tell him later, when they could be alone. 

Gwenog was waiting at a table outside when she arrived, and something about the expression on her face when Ginny sat down seemed to imply that she knew what was coming. While there was a smile on her lips, it did not extend to her eyes. 

"Thanks for meeting me," Ginny said as she took a seat opposite her tall, imposing broad-shouldered captain. She shrugged off the feelings of apprehension as she signaled a waitress and put in her order for a vegetable soup and a salad and a tall glass of juice. For several seconds she pretended to fuss over her napkin before she finally met Gwenog's eyes. 

"I have something to tell you and I thought it would be better to do it in person." 

"How far along are you?" Gwenog asked, before Ginny could continue. 

"What, how did you—?"

"I've had this conversation before, Ginny. When a player skips practice and then wants to meet for lunch the next day to talk that typically means one thing. How pregnant are you." Gwenog phrased it as a demand more than a question. She folded her hands on the table.

"Five and a half weeks. So I'm going to have to resign from the team." Ginny replied tersely, feeling the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She wanted to lay into Gwenog, and tell her that she'd been so sick she could hardly stand up and how dare she imply that Ginny blatantly skipped practice on purpose. But she restrained herself. 

"I figured as much." Gwenog took a sip of her drink, and then her eyes darted around the patio as if she were looking for someone. She sighed, sounding to Ginny as though she was annoyed. 

"I'm sorry. I know the plan was to play until the end of next season but it just happened. We weren't expecting it." She wasn't going to rise to Gwenog's comments, it wasn't worth it. 

"That's usually how it is. Well, I'm sorry to see you go, Ginny. I'm not going to lie and say I wish you weren't going a different route though." 

"You think it's a mistake for me to have a baby." Ginny's juice arrived, and she took a long swallow to calm herself. 

"I'm not saying that at all. But you are in the prime of your career. You are an extraordinary player. You could do amazing things. Think about what you're giving up." 

"Playing for the Harpies has been the best experience of my life, Gwen. I'll never forget it, and I'll always be grateful for the opportunity. But I'm going to have this baby, and I couldn't be happier. The way I see it, I'm not giving anything up." 

Gwenog muttered something that sounded like "a waste". But then the waitress approached with their food orders and the conversation was temporarily interrupted as the food was laid out on the table. Suddenly ravenous, Ginny immediately tore into the salad the moment the waitress left. She was aware of Gwenog watching her, her dark eyes critical and disappointed. She waited a good three minutes before she spoke again. 

"I really don't see having a baby as a waste," she said calmly. "Harry and I are both thrilled." 

"Did Harry put you up to this, then?" 

Stung, Ginny set down her fork. "Hang on, what?" 

"We know how much he's wanted a family, Ginny. You're sure that didn't play into your decision a bit? Just a month ago you were laughing off the idea of having a baby." 

"Look, Gwen I'd rather not get into an argument about my decision. I wasn't expecting you to be happy but to be honest I'm surprised and more than a little offended that you're reacting like this." Her temper rising, Ginny took a deep breath to calm down. "I never laughed it off, either." 

"I'm not trying to offend you. But I've seen so many talented players give up their careers far too soon. You're the best Chaser we've had in years. I'm only protecting the team's investment here." 

"The team's investment. I see, so I'm a commodity. I got the impression that we were a family, like sisters. That's what you always said." 

"That isn't what I meant." 

"Well what do you mean then? You know what, forget it. I don't want to know." Ginny tossed her napkin on the table. Fishing in her purse, she laid a few coins on the table. "I have to go." 

"Ginny come on, now…" 

"Goodbye, Gwen. Good luck with the rest of the season." Ginny turned on her heel and stormed out. 

* * * 

Harry looked up when she walked into his office a half hour later. He smiled and stood to greet her, but then his expression changed to concern when he saw her face. He helped her into his chair, and then knelt beside her with his hands on hers.

"Are you all right? What happened at the Healer?" he asked. 

"Bloody hell!" Ginny threw her purse down on the floor and kicked the leg of the chair in frustration. Harry lifted his wrist and murmured a quick incantation to shut and lock the door. Then he stood up and lifted her into his arms. 

"So we're not pregnant. I'm so sorry, love," he sighed into her hair. His voice cracked. 

Ginny pulled back with sudden alarm. "No, of course we are! I'm five and a half weeks along, and everything is fine. In fact, everything is perfect." She smiled, leafing her fingers through his fringe. 

Relief swept over Harry's face, and then his brow furrowed. "But what's the matter?" 

"I talked to Gwenog and told her I was leaving the team. As I expected she wasn't exactly happy. But then she said…"

"Said what?" 

"Some rubbish about how I was throwing my career away." 

"I'm sure she didn't mean it, love. She was probably just surprised, that's all." 

"I'm sure she meant it. She implied that I was wasting my talent, and I was only doing this because you want a baby so much. Ruddy cow," Ginny muttered thickly. It hurt her to say this about her idol and mentor, but it had hurt even more to hear it from her. As a woman she would have expected more understanding. "You don't believe that, do you?" she said, looking up. 

"No of course I don't. I'm upset because she hurt you. She ought to know better than to say something like that." Still, Harry looked troubled. 

"Having a baby is not something I would do just for the hell of it. This is what I want, just as much as you do." 

"I know you wouldn't do this lightly. But we weren't expecting to start a family until the end of next season." 

Ginny touched his cheek, curling her fingers lightly under his chin. Her chest began to ache. "Stop it."

"Stop what? All I want is for you to be happy and not feel as though you were railroaded into becoming a mum so soon." 

"Did you ever stop to think that maybe this wasn't entirely an accident, Harry? We've been so bloody careful the past two years, and I've been very strict about the Contraceptive Charm. The night this happened there were plenty of opportunities for me to do it and I didn't. I never thought about it, not once, because I think part of me wants this baby more than I was willing to admit." 

"You're sure." 

"I'm absolutely one-hundred percent positive." Ginny sat him down in his desk chair, and then she settled on his lap with her arms around his neck. "Now I have another bit of news, if you're ready." 

"It's good news, I hope?"

"It's very good news." Ginny smiled, and bit her lip to suppress the urge to blurt it out. "I know the sex of the baby."

"You're having me on."

"I'm serious." 

"You know what we're having, already?" 

"The Healer told me about a new test. So do you want to know?" she prodded. "I couldn't help myself. When she asked I jumped at the chance, but I won't tell you if you want to be surprised, I promise." 

"I want to know," Harry said definitively.

"You're sure?" 

"Yes, now tell me. There's no way I can't know if you do. I'll go mental." 

"All right then, if you really want to—" Ginny teased.

"Bloody hell, woman, what are we having?" Harry insisted. He was like a child anxious to open gifts on Christmas morning. 

"It's a boy." 

"A boy," Harry echoed. For a moment it looked as though he might faint. 

Ginny nodded. "What do you think?" 

"What do I think…? Ginny, I—we're really having a boy?" Harry's eyes filled with tears. He stood up and placed her on his desk right on top of the field report he had been working on; and then he kissed her. He started off soft and gentle and then cupped her face in his hands and pulled her close to deepen the kiss. He was hard against her thigh. 

Ginny felt a familiar twinge in her belly. "We've never done it in your office," she said with her fingers already working his belt. 

"Well I can't think of a better time to start," Harry said, and he eased her onto her back.


End file.
